“I Told You So is an intoxicating book, a plain-spoken and astute memoir that offers first-person testimony about the challenges and rewards of prosecuting criminal cases. Central to Ankney’s story are two complicated capital murder cases which bring Ankney, and the reader, face to face with pure cold-blooded evil and the law’s lumbering efforts to stagger toward the truth.”
– Bestselling author Scott Turow
After decades in the courtroom and a career spent pursuing justice, Thompson Coburn attorney Gordon Ankney is sharing some of his most memorable experiences in a new book.
Gordon’s newly released I Told You So takes readers behind the scenes of two of the most infamous murder cases in St. Louis history. Drawing on his experience as a prosecutor, the book offers an insider’s look at the investigations, courtroom strategy, and determination required to bring complex criminal cases to trial.
The book examines crimes that gripped the St. Louis region from the late 1950s through 1980. These include the murder-for-profit schemes orchestrated by Dr. Glennon Engleman, a St. Louis-area dentist who used life insurance policies to target victims, and the October 1980 murders of four employees at Pope’s Cafeteria. Beyond recounting the cases themselves, Gordon reflects on the professional experiences, mentorship, and preparation that shaped his career as a prosecutor and ultimately prepared him to handle some of Missouri’s highest-profile criminal prosecutions.
A Navy veteran and a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and The Ohio State University College of Law, Gordon served as a Missouri prosecutor for more than a decade before joining Thompson Coburn. In 1982, he was named Missouri’s Outstanding Prosecuting Attorney in recognition of his work handling major criminal cases. In 2023, he was appointed as a Special Assistant Circuit Attorney for the City of St. Louis, serving pro bono to help address the city’s homicide case backlog.
“While I Told You So revisits some of the darkest chapters in St. Louis crime history, I hope readers will also see it as a story about public service, perseverance, and the pursuit of justice,” Gordon said. “For those who are interested in true crime, local history, or the realities of criminal prosecution, I wanted to share my experiences in a way that will help these stories live on.”
I Told You So is available for purchase here in paperback and ebook formats.
